Monday 13th February, was one of those occasions where the various hats combined in a good way, with a ceremony that took place in Glossop Cricket Club to induct Peter Matthews JP as a freeman of the borough of the High Peak.

The ceremony was the follow up to a motion at the council in October, which was proposed by the leader of the council and seconded by myself, to propose that Peter becomes a freeman of the borough.

Peter was first elected as a councillor to the Glossop Borough in 1964, and served as Mayor of Glossop in 1969.

Peter became a Magistrate in 1969, a role he held for over 36 years until his retirement, including been chair of combined High Peak bench, and upon his retirement in 2005 he was placed on the supplementary list of magistrates and retains the title of Justice of the Peace.

In 2007 he became an independent member of the Council’s standards committee, becoming chair of it in 2008 – a role he held until the change of the 2011 local government act which created the role of the Independent Person, a role he continues to hold to this day using his experience to guide the council’s standards committee.

The event fitted nicely into the theme / feel from the weekend which had been all about local democracy, and Peter been a prime example of the public / civic service and involvement that we need to encourage more of.